Battle Under the Moonlight Shadow
by Jia
Summary: Set pertially to a song from DDR 5, Harry Faces Voldemort for the final time. And neither may live while the other survives. HarryHermione romance, incluging character death, but not who you might think.


A.N.- Konnichiwa minna-san! I realize that I haven't updated in a great length of time (hopefully you all remember me) but I got bitten by a plot bunny last night and had to write this. I will try to update CCH within this next week, and Transfer Students has been taken off due to serious need of editing, and will be reposted as soon as I am happy with the result. I am also beginning a few new stories, one Harry Potter and one CCS/anime fic. not sure how long each will be, cause writing involves finding time to do so. Son lyrics are inside the *'s. This one's dedicated to Sam, my fellow HP fanatic at school and one of my best friends. Arigatou! Enjoy the fic and review, please!  
*Jia*  
  
Disclaimer: JKR owns the characters and settings, "Moonlight Shadow" belongs to Missing Heart, and the plot belongs to me.  
  
"Harry! Harry James Potter, you stop right this instant!" Hermione yelled, panting slightly due to her recent chasing her (soon-to-be-ex-if-he- didn't-come-to-his-senses-soon) best friend all over Hogwarts castle and grounds. Hermione was not a stupid girl- quite the contrary, as she had been made Head Girl at Hogwarts at the beginning of her 7th year. So, when Harry had suddenly disappeared early that evening without a trace, she knew immediately that something was wrong. Thanking Merlin that she had thought ahead and placed a homing charm on his invisibility cloak a few days before, she sprinted off throughout the castle, trying desperately to find Harry before he could get far enough to do what she knew he was planning- meeting Voldemort alone, all by himself, and challenge him to a Wizard's Duel. the duel that would end one of their lives. "And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives." 'Blast that damn prophecy!' Hermione seethed, waiting for Harry to turn round and face her so she could yell at him properly. 'It's all because of that stupid prophecy that Harry's life has been as hellish as it has been.' "Turn round and look at me, Harry."  
  
That was all it took for Harry's last reserves of self-control to burst. A simple request- no, command from Hermione. Hermione. the only one who had always stood with him no matter what the situation. the one who he could always turn to for help, when even Ron refused to come to his aid. 'I should have known that Mione'd be the one to come after me.' Slowly he turned to face her, letting a smile grace his features for a split second before he forced it away. Now was definitely not the proper time to be thinking about how beautiful he found Hermione when she was angry. Or all the time, for that matter. "Hermione-"  
  
"Don't you say a single word, Harry." He was unpleasantly surprised to find her positively glowing with anger, all of which was currently directed straight at him. "How dare you run off alone to face Voldemort?! Hmmm? Haven't I assured you countless times over the past years that I would most definitely be right there beside you when you face him? Haven't I? And you still have the gall, Mr. Potter, to think that you can simply run off and leave me behind? I don't think so. Not going to happen. Ever. So you may as well toss that rubbish plan of yours right out the window now, Harry, because I am coming with you. End of story."  
  
Looking into her eyes, Harry knew that there was no way in Hades that Hermione was going to change her mind and go back into the safety that was Hogwarts. He'd seen that gleam in her eyes much too often- the one that meant her decision was final, and damn what anyone else tried to tell her. Still, though, he had to try. It was Harry's number one priority- Keep Hermione safe. If she died because of him, Harry knew that he'd never be able to forgive himself, not even given endless extra life-times in which to do it. She was his reason for living. Harry loved Hermione, simple as that. If she died, a rather large part of him died as well- the part that cared what happened to the world. If Hermione Elizabeth Granger died, Harry James Potter would die with her. "Hermione, please, listen to me. If you come along, Voldemort will use you as a way to torture me. You know it and I know it. When Voldemort decides he's finally had enough of driving me absolutely mad, he'll." Harry suddenly found himself unable to finish his sentence. He would not voice aloud the fact that she could quite possibly die. that would make it too real. Harry blinked back tears, not wanting her to see him crying, especially at a time when his life (along with countless others) hung in the balance of his strength versus Voldemort's. He simply gazed into her eyes, pleading with her to understand where he was coming from, pleading with her to go back to the safety of the castle.  
  
"Kill me. That's what you were going to say, Harry." She met his gaze straight-on. "I know that's a possibility, but it's a chance I am willing to take."  
  
Harry finally surrendered. There was no possible, plausible way to get her to leave. "All right, all right, Hermione. You can come with me. But you have to promise me that you absolutely will not put yourself in danger if you can avoid it in any way. I." 'Come on, Harry. Finish this thought.You'll have to tell her eventually anyway or you will burst.' He took in a very deep breath and continued. "I love you too much to see you die."  
  
She reeled back slightly out of astonishment. Hermione had been reading the signs for the past two years, hoping against hope that Harry could love her as she loved him, but never really believed that he did. Sure, she had imagined, nay, almost truly convinced herself that he did indeed love her. But to have Harry admit his love openly now, when everything hung on his shoulders. "Oh, Harry."  
  
Hermione ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck, pulling Harry to her in a bone-crushing embrace. "I love you too. So much, Harry, so much."  
  
Harry was smiling now; the feeling of Hermione in his arms was forcing his concentration away. 'To Hell with this for the moment.' Harry pulled Hermione's head up, gazing into her sparkling cinnamon pools, and slowly touched his lips to hers in an earth-shattering, mind-blowing kiss. No words in the English language that either of them could think of were sufficient enough to describe their first kiss. As they pulled apart, Harry felt rather than heard her whisper lightly "I love you," and answered her with one last, quick kiss.  
  
"Ready to go face the demons, then, Love?"  
  
Hermione looked up into Harry's darkening green eyes, nodding. "I promise I will try to keep myself safe, Harry. But I hope you know that if you desperately need help I will dart out from wherever I am hiding and come to your rescue."  
  
They walked slowly together toward a clearing in the Forbidden Forest (when had they ended up in the forest? Hermione could not seem to recall) and she hid up in a tall pine tree, from where she would have an excellent view of the Dueling Area.  
  
*The last that ever she saw him, carried away by a moonlight shadow.*  
  
"Good luck, Harry. Come back to me."  
  
*He passed on worried and warning, carried away by a moonlight shadow.*  
  
"Voldemort. Come out, I know you're here."  
  
Voldemort materialized seemingly out of nowhere into the clearing, sneering at Harry, his wand poised and ready for battle. "Ah, Harry. I knew we were bound to cross paths soon. Shall we play a little game first, Harry, or shall we get this over with and I simply kill you now?"  
  
*Lost in a riddle that Saturday Night far away on the other side.*  
  
"Don't toy with me, Tom. You're wasting the last few precious seconds of your lifetime taunting me." Harry's emerald eyes flashed dangerously.  
  
"Very well," said Voldemort with a slight nod. "I shall kill you now, Harry Potter. I do hope you have said your good-bye's. AVADA KEDAVRA!"  
  
Unfortunately for Voldemort, Harry was well prepared for this. "Protego!" Harry shouted, throwing Voldemort's curse right back in his face, but Voldemort was able to duck.  
  
*He was caught in the middle of a desperate fight and she couldn't find how to push through.*  
  
High above the action, Hermione, watching form her vantage point, realized that Harry most certainly could not do this alone. He needed someone's support. her support. She began frantically shoving branched this way and that, attempting to get out of that infuriating tree and help Harry.  
  
*The trees that whisper in the evening "Carried away by a moonlight shadow." *  
  
'I will not let Harry die!' "Let me down you bloody stupid tree!!"  
  
*Sing a song of sorrow and grieving "Carried away by a moonlight shadow."*  
  
Hermione fell to the ground, somehow landing safely on her feet, and dashed to Harry's side, communicating with him through Legitimens. "Harry, I know how we can win. Remember that spell we found in the Library?" "Look out!" She shoved Harry aside, propelling them both to the ground, barely dodging Voldemort's curse.  
  
*All she saw was a silhouette of a gun, Far away on the other side. *  
  
They looked up to see an ugly grin spread like poison across Voldemort's face. "It is time to say goodbye, Potter. Time for both you and your little Mudblood girlfriend to die. I shall truly enjoy this." The Dark Lord raised his wand high into the cool night air and began the intricate movements required for a Death spell, stopping mid-way through. "No, I think this would actually be much more fun than simply killing you." Taking aim at the two virtually helpless teenagers before him, Voldemort shouted "CRUCIO!"  
  
Harry had braced himself for intense pain, protecting Hermione from the impact of the spell. which never came. He looked wildly about, confused, and saw none other than Professor Snape standing between his and Hermione's bodies and Voldemort, breathing heavily. Snape had shielded them from the spell.  
  
Voldemort was truly pissed off now. Betrayed by one of his own Death Eaters! He never thought he would live to see the day. In a raging fury, Voldemort kept on shouting the same curse over and over again, now aiming at Severus Snape.  
  
*He was shot six times by a man on the run and she couldn't find how to push through.*  
  
Satisfied that he had finished off the traitor, Voldemort looked around, locating that Potter boy and his Mudblood girl so he could finish then off as well. His eyes widened in what looked remarkably similar to fear when he realized what exactly it was that the two teenaged wizards were doing.  
  
Harry and Hermione were standing mere yards away from Voldemort, hands clasped together; reciting an ancient but useful spell Hermione had located in an equally ancient and dusty spell book. No matter what curse Voldemort threw at them, he could not break the energy shield that had been activated when Harry and Hermione began speaking. Somehow both had subconsciously known that it would come to this as the final way to defeat Voldemort once and for all.  
  
They spoke in perfect harmony, Hermione's alto voice mixed with Harry's deep tenor, almost bass tones. "Heart to thee. Body to thee."  
  
"No! I will stop you, Potter!! Crucio! Crucio!! Damn it, CRUCIO!!!!"  
Harry smirked at Voldemort through the safety of their shield. "That won't work, Tom." Harry returned his full attention to Hermione, and the intricate spell they were in the midst of completing. "Always and Forever." Their eyes locked as the last phrase of the incantation was spoken, power sizzling just beneath the surface, ready to be released. "So mote it be!" Harry caught sight of Snape's body lying near them- he had obviously sacrificed his life so they could save millions of others.  
  
*I stay, I pray see you in heaven one day. *  
  
"Good-bye forever, Voldemort." Harry and Hermione said together, aiming the beam of scarlet energy at the Dark Lord. "See you never. SO MOTE IT BE!"  
Voldemort screamed in agony, the pure love of two teenage wizards was to be his downfall. That, you see, is the one thing Voldemort could not stand, the one thing he did not understand. Love. He disappeared in a flash of scarlet light, leaving nothing behind to hint at his presence.  
  
Harry and Hermione, exhausted from the sheer amount of power the spell had taken to be used correctly, collapsed on the blessedly cool forest floor, awaiting the inevitable arrival of Dumbledore and the Order, staring at Severus Snape's lifeless corpse, thanking him for what he had done. 'Thank you, Professor. Really. Thank you.'  
  
*Four A.M. in the morning carried away by a moonlight shadow. I watched your vision forming carried away by a moonlight shadow. 


End file.
